Anyone seen an image and description of Impex’s new kayak in what they call “Pro Touring” line, called “The Force”. I guess calling a new kayak “The Whimp” would not inspire as much confidence.
no pics as of yet
that I’ve seen. As for the description at this point it is all Impex’s marketing strategems.
The kayaks are supposed to be performance expedition kayaks. Allegedly Danny worked with kayaking luminaries such as: Chris Duff, Shawna Franklin, and Leon Somme to determine what these needs would be.
They are supposed to be hi-quality versions of the NDK Romany.
This is all conjecture and hear-say. No fact other than the pre-season order stat list I saw at Lee’s in Kalamazoo.
category 4 is 18’/21" with 13" depth, two oval valley hatches, one round.
category 3 17’/20" with 12" depth, two oval valley hatches, one round.
standard Impex IR outfitting + skeg.
The category 3 strikes my interest. Would like to try it at least. Actually I think it may be more interesting than the Outer Island. But we’ll see.
Nice work
Cool, possibly playful, if willing to be the buyer of 1.0 of anything.
well, the force 3
interests me as a consumer, I probably won’t buy one. Still holding out for eithe a redesigned keyhole on a silhouette or an ocean cockpit version of a silhouette from seaward. Should be next year. ?.. But even then I’m really happy with the kayak I have.
As far as the v 1.0 goes. Well, impex does a nice job with quality I wouldn’t worry about that.
Interesting side note: Impex may be trying to come up with their own proprietary rubberized hatch covers. We’ll see if they work as well as valley’s.
Need A Lower Volume Playboat…
15.5-16.5’ for smaller paddlers for serious ocean play. This would fill the gap between the Mystic and the Montauk.
Nobody is listening… Maybe Impex will.
sing
I’m hoping…
I know Danny heard quite a bit about the need for lower volume boats at GLSKS and especially at the Ladies of the Lake Symposium. I really liked the Outer Island, but it was too big for me. I’m looking forward to demoing the cat3. I never did buy an Elan - I got sidetracked by my carbon/kevlar Mystic - and I was very disapppointed to read that they are going out of business. I was also a little surprised that this wasn’t a topic of discussion here. (I know I could have ordered an Elan - Mariner said they would fill orders for a few months - but unfortunately, a new roof took care of that plan!)
Anyway, I’m very fond of Impex boats and it’s going to be nice to see another model!
Looks like impexcontinues to rock
but to be comparable to my explorer in strength I’d need to order a heavier lay up. Probably not as solid tracking as the OI
Still I might do that though.
Mid Canada fiberglass
how long has impex been owned by them? (there’s a link on the Impex site saying ‘a division of Mid-Canada Fiberglass’.
My Montauk…
does not say Impex. It says “Formula Montauk.” The boat is about 4 years old. It’s interesting to note though Formula uses different boat names than Impex, the designs, except for the OI, are the same.
I remember asking about the connection sometime back, oh several years, and the answer I got was pretty vague.
With Impex and Formula using pretty much the same designs, you would think there is a strong connection. Now, you have the website link.
sing
formula has
manufactured impex’s designs since the beginning I believe and I think it is just now a more official merger than what was apparent before. Or is it? You could always post at the impex forum and ask danny?
You canstill order a mariner
according to what I read. For all of 2004
Thanks,
I know, and believe me, I wish I could. But it’s the usual dilemma - roof over our heads, windows, doors, siding, etc. vs new kayak. And I don’t really NEED another kayak…sigh… But as my grandmother used to say, “Kayaks are like streetcars…there’s always another one coming along.” (Of course,she said something else instead of kayaks, but the principle’s the same…) Next year…
impex/formula relationship
Formula is the brand, Mid Canada Fiberglass is the parent company. they are most well known for making a very boring and poor quality line of traditional canoes called Scott, that few people on this forum would care for.
Impex and Formula don’t use similar designs- they are exactly the same boats, all made at Mid Canada in a far northern town near the Quebec border called New Liskard that few people (other than Ontarian canoe trippers going to Temagami or moose hunters) would ever get to.
Impex stands for import/export (how’s that for a sexy etymology of a kayak name!!) and i don’t know how they started or how they got involved with Mid Canada but MCF makes the boats. they are sold as Formula in Canada but have very little recognition or reputation here (Canadians are slow adopters; has something to do with lack of money i reckon) and don’t paddle skeg style kayaks much. because of that MC is scrapping the name Formula for the more well thought of Impex.
Impex is a neat sounding name and they have a cool symbol. what do you think the funky crown with water droplets is supposed to be?
jbv
I hear you sister
Just wanted those desperate for a mariner to know they could still do it.
Now that I’m a working person again I’m thinking much less about buying boats.
If I’m working this hard for money in 15 months I’ll sell two boats. Maybe sell three and buy a force 3.
Hoping to avoid that. I love paddling, teaching, and would like to do more work with filming. That roof thing is important though.